Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 10, Number 37, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 13 March 1880 — Page 1

Vol. 10.—No.

37.

THE MAIL

A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.

SECOND EDITION.

C*EDUUTY and ignorano# are generally supposed to be near kin to each other, while intelligence la regarded as the almost never failing antidote of superstition. AH a rale this may be true, but there are some striking exceptions to this rale. The card pat forth by the Terre Haute "Committee"—printed in the second edition of last week and the first edition of this week's Mail—is a most amazing illastration of extreme credulity combined with a fair degree of intelligence. To say that Messrs. Pence, Hook, and Connor are "no fools" does them small justice. They are what would ordinarily be termed very intelligent men. And yet they are so credulous as to ipat before the public a card that, excepting the style ia which it is written, would seem to have been issued by Idiots. We have supposed that belief in winking Madonnas, in the appearance of the Holy "Virgin, and absurd stories oonnected with the "rellos" cherished in Rome and elsewhere In Catholic countries, only needed tho light of intelligence to dissipate it. And yet here in Terre Haute there are persons of more than ordinary intelligence who, whon one who claims power to call up spirits from the "vasty deep," is caught personating the forms of the materialized spirits, and the fraud is perfectly apparent, the deceiver caught iu the {very act, can write, "the form grabbed provod to be a partial and imperfect transformation of the medium." Church, Laura Morgan,.Kate King, Mrs Piokerlng, Miss Cook, and other mediums too numerous to mention^ have been caoght, held till the liglu was turned on, and then found to be none other than their own original selves, and yet these men profess to be Hove, contrary to the evidence of their senses, that these were the materialized -forms of doparted spirits, "partial and imperfect transfigurations of the mediums." Aud they tell, as if they believed It, of a grabbed medium who 'sweat profusely large drops of blood."

And to save Mrs. Stewart from such bloody sweat anil other direful consequences from being "grabbed," they propose most carsfully to guard her sacred form from the unholy hands of the profane. If these men are honest, aud nothing but the extreme absurdity of their course londs a ioubt to tholr sincerity—they exhibit a credulity that has seldom beon equalled and never surpassed in any age or portion of the world. They disbelive the evidence of their own sensos for the sake of believing iu the honesty and powers of these exposed mediums. Even the most ignorant Roman Catholics would give up their belief in the "winking Madonnas," if they were shown the machinery by which tho winks are provided, and denounce the one pretending to be the Holy Virgin If the masks were removed and they found behind them persons whom they knew. It has* been left to spiritualism as it exists in Terre Haute to exhibit the silliest type of superstition and oredulity yet witnessed on the faoe of the earth.

SKEPTICISM and credulity are supposed to be opposite extremes, and if it i» true that extremes meet, then they are so. Spiritualism has among its followers a large number who were formerly pronounced skeptics, and yet they who could not believe in the existence of God, or credit the teachings of the Bible, readily swallow such senseless stuff as is put forth by these drivelling mediums, the claims of these exposed tricksters, and the "explanation" of Pence, Hook and Conner. These skeptics begin by a refusal to believe in anything they cannot see, that Is, anything not revealed to their senses, and end by denying the credulity of their soundest senses, believing that which the live senses unite in declaring untrue for they need but touch, taste, hear, see or smell one of these mediums to learn the falsity of their claims. Evidently the Committee undoretaud this, and so propose to guard Mrs. Stewart against too close contact with the organs of sense.

WE are not of those who deny the possibility lor reality of any oommunlcationfwith departed spirits. We hold that this is a point not yetCsettled by couclusiveKevideuoe one-way or the other. And this whole subject is one demandlngjthtf most careful,and thorough investigation byjeompetent minds. But the spiritualism of/Terre Haute is of such a bungling sort, and the defense of exposed trickery is »ohallow and BenseleB8,£that Investigators would do welt to?,turn their attention to more worthy game than oan be found here. Ninety-nine {one-hundredths of all so* called spiritual manifestations can probably be explained either on the grc— of trickery or of known laws of mind and matter, and of the remaining one-

hundredth, which Is worthy of careful examination, no part of it, we think, is to be fonnd in this city.

IF there are any opponents of spirit* ualism who desire to deal it the most damaging blow possible, we suggest that they print, without note or comment, the letter of the Committee to which reference is made above, and put a copy into the bands ef every person in the city.

THE COMMITTEE conclude by saying that they "do not Intend to be drawn into a newspaper controversy." There is sense in that, at all events.

WHAT is the use of inviting skeptics to examine into the evidence of spiritualism, aod to try to detect fraud, if none but an expert can tell when a form is grabbed whether it be the real form of the medium, or only "a partial and im perfect transfiguration of the medium

WHAT had become of the real form of the medium when the "partial and imperfect transfiguration" was grabbed

SoMEjclalm that spiritualism is of the devil. Wefchftve too'4much respect for the smartness of the devil to believe that he has anything to do with the spiritualism of Terre Haate, and we are sure he had nothing to do with that letter of the Committee.

RANDOM SHOTS.

How many parents are there in this city who realize the responsibility and the extent of their duty in providing suoh innooent and rational amusements for the children as will serve to make home attractive to them—even those nearing manhood and womanhood—to prefer it before all other places. It is too much the fact, as the great majority of children old enough to appreciate it will attest, that oar homes are made task places, disciplinary institutions of greater or less severity, than pleasant havens into which the children may go after the day's study at school or elsewhere, with its necessary constraints, is performed, with certainty of meeting affeotlonate greeting and finding proper enjoyment freed from all those repres Bive conditions not necessary to the preservation of reasonable order and civility in the family cirele. Too many fathers are martinets at home, however genial to the outside world, and too man£ mothers, also, who pass for models of amiability with their lady acquaintances, are chronic scolds and "naggers" within their own doors, disclosing the termagent quality in their natures only-to their loving and trusting little oneB. But inevitably to fathers and mothers of this sort there comes a time when the love and the trust of the children diminish, and then they seek other associations. The lad nearing manhood, and experiencing dally the promptings of a growing spirit of independence and self-reliance, seeks to break away from a system of tyranny and constraint which has been a burden to his young life, and for whioh there appears to him no necessity or justification, and he plunges vigorously into the world without where all

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and where he sees the opportunity to play as large a part as those whom he regards more favored than himself in the enjoyment of soolal liberty. The serious question is how far a young man thus situated may go, and we apprehend a good deal depends upon the degree ,of the severity of the system under whioh his home life was spent. If he has been denied every sort oi amusement, if all those means of entertainment, innooent in themselves in which men take pleasure, have been kept as a sealed book to him, the chances are that when he obtains a knowledge of them with the opportunity for their enjoyment, he will ran to exoess. In such oases the possibilities from reaction are far reaching, and If the change Is to one of large soolal nature, hearty In his appetite for pleasure, and easily susceptible to the influence of agreeable companions, he may go to dangerous lengths before judgment and conscience are able suooessfally call a halt. On the other hand, if the demands of his nature have been duly regarded and a discreet liberty allowed him for acquiring some knowledge of the methods, proper and harmless in themselves, for gratifying his desire for pleasure, accompanying suoh permission with that, careful and judicious parental counsel and guidance which is always to be expected, the young man with average intelligence will enter upon the freedom of his manhood with far less liability to yield to the temptations that beset all at that period of life. He Is not projected, as it were, Into a new world, with Ttew and strange enticements all Inviting him to partake of them, bat he to merely left to himself in a world of which he has been a more or leas active part, learning something of its evil as well as Its good, and equipped to manfully combat the first and rightly appreciate tho last.

Human nature needs entertainment and amusement, and espacially Is this true of young people, and the home is

the place where they should be educated to look for It. If they cannot have it there they will oertainly seek It elsewhere. We would therefore admit to the home every means of entertainment not per se Immoral, including cards, the dance, and other sources of pleasure and pastime which a straight laoed Puritanism might exclude. We have no symathy with those who hold that the child should be kept in Ignorance of all those amusements that are denominated worldly, and In which there Is possible evil. The boy who Is properly taught the lesson of self-respect and self-oon trol is not endangered from learning to play euchre or other games of cards, and equally the girl who has been trained to modesty and a proper sense of the social relations and obligations of her sex will run no risk if she glide through the measures of the danoe with a gentleman worthy of her association. Nothing can be very far from right that makes home inviting to the children, and gives it a place in their esteem infinitely above all other spots on this earth.

Susan Perkins' Letter.

TKHRE HAUTE, March 12,1880. MY DBAK JOSEPHINE :—I have heard that no one can be truly successful, in worldly sensed without the aid of wealth. That money is the golden key which will unlook the store houses of fame, honor and friendship. Others, more old .fashioned, believe that education, with a background of innate refinement, or the advantages of birth, have more to do with one's success. But Josephine, don't you believe any such stories! You may possess the wealth of a Rothschild, the beauty of Venus, the learning of a normal student, or the elegance and refinement of an F. F. V. but unless you have a supply of that commodity vulgarly known as "cheek" you cannot attain success. To be Bare wealth has Its advantages. With it one can enjoy life can travel royally can patronise Worth can be generous to the poor can surround oneself with all of those articles of luxury and beauty which are aids to enjoyment. Tennyson, says: "But the jingling of tho guinea helps

The heart that honor feels." That may be very true, but if you have plenty of cheek it won't matter BO much about your honor!—don't you see Josephine Mind I do not say that snch a state of things isjright,. I am fsimply telling what is.

In this very town are living examples of the truth of my theory. In a crowd of men engaged in arguments or discussions onjpolitics and finances you will often observe that one will monopolize the most of the conversation. He will harangue :the crowd, willltell^what he did, saw, wants, and what ought to be done. In all probability this man knows the least of the.subject.under discussion of any one present. Very likely there are men therejwho know as much in one minute as he does in ^hlsjlifetlme, but they are retiring, don't like publicity and listen^ in .respectful silence to the man whose impudence has no limit, whose ignorance is only equalled by his extreme'self importance. Ten to one he will carry the day,Hind half of his' auditors wlH|unoonsciously follow his leadership.

I have known young men worth nothing—debts being counted, lees than nothing—with scanty education, no morals to boast of, with nothing to attract—nnless you consider a pair of feet well versed in all the latest stepscarry off the honors at balls, parties, Ac., night after night, while others, educated, refined, and perhaps wealthy, were voted bores. The cheeky young man, with the inimitable coolness of a puppy, waits with the belles, flatters them, makes love to them. With utter sang froid he talks I to Mrs. Lofty and Mrs. Tiptop, and speaks patronizingly to the mod ft** yoang man who can donverse in seven languages aad knows Blackstone by heart. Consequently the ladles smile, mistake his bold remarks for wii, call him original and the cheeky young mnn becomeOI favorite. His more modest brother, still hiding his light under bushel, Tslts In the corner conversing with stray old ladies worried by partnerlesold maids.

Then there are pretty girls, accomplished and graceful. However, they may *be all that and more too, but If they have not a certain amount of cheek, certain do-as-you-please feeling, Jit availeth them nothing*.

Yes, Josephine, even some of the churches recognize this doctrine in all of its

quaint

TERRE HAUTE, IND, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 13,1880.

originality and profit by It.

Here is a church anxious to make money. Its members get up a fair. They advertise It injglowing colors, and appoint a committee to solicit donations. The members of this committee do their work faithfully. They canvass the town everybody is urged to give, not only members of their own church but religious people generally and society at large. Finally they issue tickets and deluge the town with boys and girls whose whole duty Is to pester people intc| baying. This youthful cavalcade Is no respecter of persons. They besiege the business men in their stores and

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ajpCM the soul of the busy houseWfols tormented with frequent rinsings of the door bell by these persistent salesmen. One lady told me that no less than five urchins summoned her thus to buy tickets for St. Joseph's Fair.

Another church is poor, very poor. However, It la tired of the old shabby meeting house and aoncludes to build another. Its members have no money, bat that doesn't matter they canvass the town for .assistance, and people who have churenes o! the'r support are cordially Invited to donate. They procure some money in this way and the new church is built, going in debt some 93,000. Time passes the debt is not paid and a foreclosure of the mortgage threatens. Ruins stares them in the face! But a happy thought strikes ftjem I These people who have so kindly given before perhaps will do so again. A list of names, of people in no way oonnected with their church, is made out and each one invited to pay twentyfive dollars!

Verily, Josephine, of suoh is indeed the man of unlimited cheek. The tramp believes and practices the doctrine when he orders his breakfast at the kitchen door.

The

book agent believes it when

he presents his bland and smiling face at your front door. Look at Memphis with her population stricken with the scourge. She asks for aid and it is given unstintingly. After that she keeps on in her filthy ways her city remains unclean while she spends thousands on the immoral Mardi Qras. Another summer comes and again her city is depopulated and her streets turned into charnel houses. With the same brazen effrontery she extends her hand for aid to those whose trust she has abused—aud gets it too. I repeat it Josephine "oheek" is the up* start whose, drafts are always honored and "don't you forget it."

Yesterday afternoon as it was pleasant and a parade of three military companies was to take place I sallied forth with the rest of my sex to see the soldiers. One military company on parade is generally enough to draw a crowd, but when it comes to three at once, you can imagine the scene I The streets a perfect jam fences, porches and windows thronged, while even the trees were freighted with adventurous boys. And all to see a few men dressed In uniform, maroh through the streets and finally go through a formula that was Greek to nine-tenths of those present. It went off quite well, and I heard many compliments passed on the commanding officer, Captain Hoctor.

Josephine, if you ever want to find out the true opinion of people in regard to your ability, write for the papers, incog. It is not

only

humiliating, but

diverting. People whom you supposed had a high appreciation of your talents, tell you to your face that your letters are trash 1 Of course you unblushingly agree with them, all the time ready to explode with laughter. Some one else tells you confidentially that "she knows who the author is, but promised not to tell." In answer to your well feigned anxiety she volunteers the information that the person is a friend of hers, but does not live In the city, all of her information obtained being seoond hand! Another says she has known from the first that it was a man, but is aggravating and will not tell what man, Then one of the lords of creation, perhape your brother, uncle, cousin, or father, tells yon, with intense disgnst depicted on his countenance, that your letters are not worth the reading, that they are foolish, gossipy, frivolous. And yet after two or three weeks of secret observation you notiee that he generally reads them entirely through before he turns to other departments of the paper. "O, consistency, thou art a jewel."

Really, I have no news of Importance. Nothing Is going on, as It Is Lent, and the ladles are trying to^get their spring sewing doae before Easter.

An revolr, SOSIB.

LITTLE SERMONS,

Self praise depreciates. We are sure of nothing in this .life. Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open.

A saint may sometimes suffer for a sinner.. By others faults, wise men correct their own,

He who has nothing to do has no business on earth. It Is better to live on a little, than to outlive a great deaL

A room hung with pictures is a'rOOm hung with thoughts. Never stand begging for that which you have the power to take.

The more eminently virtue shines, the more it Is exposed to persecution. may have a thousand acquaintances, and not one friend among them.

We must keep oempany with a man a

long time

before we know him thor­

oughly. One Is no more than another, only Inasmuch as he does more than another.

There's a deal of goodness that the world never sees, as there's a deal of vicioasness it never gueses. „,

THE PASSING SHOW.

SHOWS AND SHOW PEOPLE.

To-night, at the Opera House, Gus Phillips ("Oofty Gooft") with his New York Combination will present the sensation*! drama of "Under the Gaslight," which was received here with so much pleasure last October. It is a play showing up In vivid colors the social shsms in the upper circles and vllllany and crime in lower grades, "Oofty Gooft," ss "Snorky" is inimitable, and he takes oooasion to introdnoe many of his specialties. Interesting and startling mechanical effects are introduced. For the first time this season —for a dramatic entertainment—the pricee have been reduced to fifty cents for the lower fleor, with no extra charge for reserved seats family cirole, 86 cents and gallery, 26 cents. These prices ought to draw a large audience to

an entertainment.

Btyle

The present is an era of light entertainment in the dramatic world. No better illustration of the truth of this can be obtained than the career and phenomenal success of the popular Weath-ersby-Goodwin

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Bach

On Monday evening, pretty Minnie Palmer and her select company will appear in their wonderfully taking comedy of the "Boarding School." This is a faroial-muslcal absurdity, in two long and interesting acts, built after the prevailing

of so-called comedy con­

certs. A spoiled child in the first act is sent to school in the second act—not to learn anything, but to exhibit her spoiled condition. Then there is the old fun of the school room tricks and pranks, and burlesque examinations and humorous reoitations. Some of our exchanges claim that Minnie Palmer is the rival of Lotta. The Chicago InterOcean says she Is oertainly a delightful little actress. An expressive, pretty faoe, bright eyes, a good figure, a voice of considerable power and good quality, grace as a dancer, and a jolly manner, are attributes which, coupled with intelligence, constitute the recogized claims of Miss Palmer upon the patronage of the public. Mr. Scanlan is but second in popularity to the star, bis performance being of a general Irish role, into whish he interpolates songs, recitations and varied specialties/ The other members of the company present effioient work in their respective characters.

Froliques, who will ap­

pear at the Opera House next Tuesday evening in their mirth provoking "Hobbies," written by Woolf, the author of the "Mighty Dollar," and written especially for these people, and, unlike some other pieces written for particular people, it fits "the shapes" it was intended for. It is a nondescript. It is not a play, nor a oomedy, nor a burlesque, nor an opera, nor a circus, nor an extravaganza, and yet it partakes of the features of all. There is a rehearsal of a burlesque, or scraps of burlesque, by some ambitious amateurs, and hence the opportunity for mnsical work. Most of the music is bright and pleasant, some of it decidedly better than is usually heard In pieces of its class. But what's the use of telling what "Hobbies" is. It has been played here twice, and most Opera House goers are familiar with the delightful piece. Those who have seen It once will see it again, and those who have not should be at the Opera House Tuesday evening. We know of no better panacea for the blues. It is a subdued hurrah throughout, a constant bubble of joyous animal spirits.

Mr. L. G. Hager has secured three real Scotch pipers to play the Slogan of the Doaglas, in the drama of the Lady of the Lake, to be given on the evening of the 30th. Every possible effort is being exerted to make this the grandest pageant ever attempted by our talented amateurs.

Mii Emma Abbott, having been told of some criticism upon the warmth of her acting in love scenes, responded: "I detest the conventional, stagey, stupid, love making scenes so often depicted by woman who were never in love, and know nothing of the passion. I have been in love, and know what I am acting.—St. Louis Post Dlspstch.

It is said that Mary Anderson, while acting Jallet in Boston, took a wad of chewing gum out of her mouth in the garden scene, put it carefully on the railing of the balcony, and picked it up agvin after her last "good night" to Romeo.

It Is surprising that sdme of oar enterprising dramatists have not constructed a scene in which a safe is hoisted into a fourth story window. It always drawn a big audience in populous cities when the weather is fine.—N.Y. Express.

Eliza Weathersby (Mrs. N. C. Goodwin,) and her sister Jennie will visit England during their summer rest. They have not been home in years

Fannie B. Price who, a year or so ago married a rich bachelor in Dead wood, Is again on the stage, playing in that city.

ilISP

v„v*r ^-Vj.: v:

Tenth

Year

Wemen have naturally a more ready invention, be it for good or bad purposes^ than men. live women were eleoted on Tuesday to the Middletown, New York, Board of Education.

Harpers Bazar pays a woman |5,000 per year just to write about dresses aflA cloaks and such things.—St. Louis Republican.

Six young women armed with shot guns, recently accompanied as many young men on a rabbit hunt in Georgia* No one was hurt.

The Buffalo (N. Y.) "Sunday Times, publishes a list of the names of tho prettiest girls who attend the various churches in that city, with commont as to their type of attraotiveness or of manner.

Somehow, the ladies don't Beem to grasp the leap year' as they should. They ought to fly around and spend their time and money on the boys, who have to do that sort of thing three years on the stretch. Leap year was designed expressly to give the boys a finanancial rest, as it were, and they need it, too.

An exceedingly ugly fashion, which ought not to be tolerated is that of dress waists that seem to be threefold, simulating a dress coat worn over a basque with a waistcoat. It is usually easy enough to keep warm during an American summer without assuming three waists, and the appearance of so muell wrapping should be avoided. "We bring up our girls," remarks a modern writer, "like young men, and give them the freedom and privileges of bachelors, and then we expect that they will bear the monotony of matrimony and the restrictions of maternity with a good grace, and be home staying wives and mothers after having been maiden rovers and ramblers."

Miss Nellie, daughter ex-Governor Habbard of Connecticut, who eloped with her father's coachmen several months ago, has learned the dressmaking business, and is living happily with her husband. The old man doesn't relent enough to speak of, but has told Nellie that any time she will separate from the ex-coachman she will be re* eeived into the family again.

The Qulncy Whig has iound a "model woman and model wife." It says: "An Indiana man, who is an applicant for divorce, alleges, among other things, that his wife, although well knowing him to be a Democrat, refused to let him read Democratic papers in his house. The Whig does not think much of tho female suffrage business, but we are of the opinion that an exception might be judioiously made in favor of that Indiana wife,"

Miss Kate Field is endeavoring to organize in New York a company composed of ladies, and to be regularly incorporated, with a capital of 1250,000, the object of whioh is to enable the members to obtain their wearning apparel on the oo-operative principle, thereby securlng|a material saving. Such a company exists in London, Eng., and Is said to work well. Miss Field's movement is said to be receiving good encouragement, and it now seems probable that the project will carry. The result will be regarded with interest.

A well dressed lady called at a carpet warehouse and asked to look at some carpets. The goods were shown, every pattern in the shop being spread out for examination. After looking at everything abont the place, and driving some very close bargains in the matter of price, the lady selected a carpet for each room in her house, running up a bill which filled the salesman's heart vrlth joy. When all was completed, ho asked where the carpets were to be sent. The lady replied, without hesitation, that she would call and let him know* "You see," she added, ''my husband has just bought a piece of ground, and talks of soon building a bouse on it. If he does, you know. I shall want some new carpets, amd then I will call aad order these."

A MONSTROUSBVIL. Indianapolis News.

A wholesale firm in this city dealing in lottery candies and chewing gums recently bad a shipment of these goods returned by a customer in an interior town, who stated in explanation that an ordinance bad been passed forbidding tbeirsale. It would be an excellent thing were such an ordinance passed in this city, and everywhere else where the corrupting traffic is indulged in. The extent to which the vouth ana children of the land are following the way of the professional gambler and policy player Is not imagined by the parents if it were a stop would soon be put to the evil. Every grocery store offers afield for the operation of the little gamesters, and instances have oome to the ears of the reporter where

children

SiS!

who were disappointed in se­

curing a prize went home and stole money to make other purchases in hope of being as fortonate as their more successful companions, thus making thieves as well as gamblers ont of them. The trade in these goods is an extensive one, and unless soon prohibited and stopped, the city will contain none but children who gamble, and if necessary steal to carry it on.